Thriller K-Dramas to Help You Prepare for Spooky Season
Spooky season is upon us! Well, almost. So to get everyone in the mood for things that go bump in the night, here is a list of thriller K-Dramas. This list will ease you into the horror drama roster that will be up just in time for Halloween. It should be mentioned that even though there are no vampires or zombies in the following list, there will be dark themes in the shows, including abuse, serial killings, and kidnappings, so consider this a warning.
Voice
119 call center leader Kang Kwonjoo (Lee Hana) has been tracking her father’s murderer ever since she heard him die over the phone. She studied abroad to be a voice profiler, and now she’s back and ready for action. Kwonjoo begins working with detective Moo Jinhyuk (Jang Hyuk), whose wife was killed by a serial killer. The two work together to bring down the people that destroyed their lives.
Voice is available to watch on Netflix and Viki. Also, if Season 1 isn’t enough, Seasons 2-4 are also available on the platforms.
Mouse
Mouse is a wild ride that has so many twists and turns, it can leave the viewer breathless. The first episode does come with a trigger warning due to the amount of violence, especially violence against children, so if that is something you can’t watch, it might be best to skip this drama.
Jung Bareum (Lee Seunggi) is a rookie police officer with a heart of gold. He works at a substation in a small town and spends his days helping the elderly and having an awkward courtship with Oh Bongyi (Park Juhyun). One day, Bongyi’s grandmother crosses paths with a serial killer. When her body is discovered, Bongyi is devastated, and Bareum promises to find the person responsible, even if it costs his own life.
Mouse can be watched on Viki.
Strangers From Hell
Yoon Jongwoo (Im Siwan) moves to Seoul after his friend offers him a job. To save as much money as he can, he moves into a small hostel called Eden Goshiwon. Goshiwon are places in Korea that have small rooms, and residents share kitchens and bathrooms. Jongwoo doesn’t like his neighbors, but decides to put up with them for six months until he meets Seo Moonjo (Lee Dongwook). Moonjo is a charismatic dentist that puts most people at ease, but Jongwoo isn’t most people.
Strangers From Hell is available to watch on Netflix.
Nobody Knows
Cha Youngjin (Kim Seohyung) is a detective chasing down a serial killer known as Stigmata. They murdered her friend 19 years ago, and she hasn’t been able to forgive herself for letting that happen. Since she’s barely home, she has her neighbor Go Eunho (Ahn Jiho) take care of chores like shopping and watering her plants. One day, Eunho falls off the roof of their apartment building, but Youngjin knows it was no accident. She and Eunho’s homeroom teacher begin investigating to find out the truth about what happened to him.
Tell Me What You Saw
What would you do if you had a photographic memory? Cha Sooyoung (Girls’ Generation’s Sooyoung) chose to become a police officer in her rural hometown. One night, she discovers a body and uses her unique talent to recreate the crime scene, which impresses the police from Seoul. Soon she joins their task force to help track down the killer.
Oh Hyunjae (Jang Hyuk) is also part of the task force. The killer murdered his wife years ago, and he is out for revenge. He will stop at nothing to catch the criminal, including using Sooyoung and her ability how he sees fit.
This dark drama is available on Viki.
Save Me
Han Sanghwan (Ok Taecyeon), Seok Dongcheol (Woo Dohwan), Woo Junghoon (David Lee), and Choi Manhee (Ha Hoejung) are out enjoying their young lives when they see Im Sangmi (Seo Yeaji) passing in a van. She looks at them and mouths the words “save me.” That one action changed the lives of the men forever.
Sangmi is trapped in a cult after her parents drank the Kool-Aid and became believers. She will do whatever it takes to get free, even if it means turning her back on her father.
Save Me is available on Netflix.
Flower of Evil
Detective Cha Jiwon (Moon Chaewon) is married to the love of her life, Baek Heesung (Lee Joongi). After an unusual case, Jiwon starts to realize her husband isn’t who she thought he was. Heesung has deceived her about who he really is, and Jiwon wants to know why. She’ll stop at nothing to get to the bottom of this mystery, even if it means destroying her family.